Prue's Decision
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: After Andy's death, Prue falls into a deep depression. She decides that the price of being a Charmed One is too high. Sheannounces she is leaving the manor forever and even creates a potion to strip her powers so that she will never again be put in the


CHARMED  
"PRUE'S DECISION"  
by J. B. Tilton  
aramath@isot.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 (for moderate language)  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are  
the property of the WB television network, except for those  
characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan  
fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
After Andy's death, Prue falls into a deep depression. She  
decides that the price of being a Charmed One is too high. She  
announces she is leaving the manor forever and even creates a  
potion to strip her powers so that she will never again be put in  
the position of causing the death of an innocent.  
  
* * *  
  
Prue came into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.   
Phoebe was sitting at the table busily studying for an upcoming  
test. She looked up at her oldest sister, then at the clock on the  
counter.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"I called in," said Prue, taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"You called in yesterday," said Phoebe. "And the day before  
that. You can't keep calling in, you know."  
  
"Will you get off my back," snapped Prue. "Andy's dead. And  
it's our fault. He was murdered by a warlock and there was  
nothing we could do to prevent it. If we weren't the Charmed  
Ones, no warlock would have killed him to get to us. It's our fault  
he's dead."  
  
"That's not true," said Phoebe. "It just happened. We're in a  
war. Sometimes in a war innocent people die. I know you're  
hurting, honey. But staying around the house sulking isn't going  
to help any."  
  
"Maybe it won't," said Prue. "But it gives me a chance to think.   
A chance to reevaluate things."  
  
"Reevaluate what?" asked Phoebe. "You can't bring Andy  
back. All you can do is go on with your life and remember him.   
Remember all the good times you two had together."  
  
Prue didn't respond. She just refilled her cup, then left the  
kitchen. Phoebe tried to imagine what she was going through. It  
wasn't easy. Other than her own mother, whom she was really  
too little to remember, and grams, she hadn't really lost anyone  
close to her. Not like that, anyway.  
  
There wasn't much Phoebe could do to help Prue. No matter  
what she said, no matter what she did, Prue seemed intent on  
wallowing in the loss of Andy. Phoebe decided that eventually  
Prue would get over it and learn to accept Andy's death. Until  
then, all Phoebe could do is be there for her.  
  
That evening, Piper came home. Some time during the day  
Prue had left the manor. Phoebe hadn't heard her leave. She  
had gone upstairs to see if Prue had needed anything but her  
sister was simply gone.  
  
"Hey, sweetie," said Piper. "How's the studying going?"  
  
"Dreadful," said Phoebe. "I hate American Literature. Some  
times I wonder why I ever went back to college. I hated this stuff  
in high school."  
  
"Don't worry," said Piper. "You'll get through it. Where's  
Prue?"  
  
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "She called in again today.   
Practically bit my head off when I said something about it. She  
left some time later, but I don't know when."  
  
"She's taking Andy's death hard," said Piper. "I wish there  
was something we could do to help her. She didn't take mom's or  
gram's death this hard."  
  
"I know," said Phoebe. "But she wasn't even there when mom  
died. And Gram's death was natural causes. She feels  
responsible for Andy's death."  
  
"That's crazy," said Piper. "It wasn't her fault. She should  
know that."  
  
"She says that if we weren't for the Charmed Ones," said  
Phoebe, "it wouldn't have happened."  
  
"That's crazy," said Piper. "Andy was a cop. It was dangerous  
work. It's not her fault he died. And it wasn't our fault, either."  
  
"I know," said Phoebe, "but you can't convince her of that."  
  
Just then Leo orbed in.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Leo. "I've been sensing some really  
strange things from here. I thought I should come and see what's  
going on."  
  
"It's Prue," said Piper. "She's still upset about Andy's death.   
Phoebe says she holds herself and us to blame."  
  
"She left the manor a while ago and I don't know where she  
went," said Phoebe. "I'm worried about what she might do."  
  
Leo closed his eyes and concentrated for a minute.  
  
"She's at the cemetery," he said. "I guess it doesn't take much  
to figure out what she's doing there."  
  
"You'd better orb us there," said Phoebe. "She's really hurting  
and she needs us right now."  
  
"No," said Piper. "She needs to deal with this. When she  
needs us, we'll be there. Right now, she has to work this out for  
herself. Leo, I would appreciate it if you would keep an eye on  
her, though."  
  
"Sure," said Leo. "Just call if you need me for anything."  
  
Leo orbed out. Phoebe felt a little better that he was watching  
over Prue. If Prue could only understand that she wasn't going  
through this alone. True, Andy had been Prue's boyfriend. But  
Piper and Phoebe had looked upon him almost as family. His  
death was hurting them all.  
  
"Well," said Piper, "Prue may not be home for a while. I'll  
make something for the two of us for dinner. I can put something  
together for Prue when she gets home. If she's hungry."  
  
"Okay," said Phoebe. "It's just so hard, that's all. Standing  
around not being able to help Prue. Wishing there was  
something you could do to help."  
  
"I know the feeling," said Piper. "Now you have some idea of  
what she and I went through with you. You were so wild and  
throwing your life away and no one could tell you anything. About  
all we could do was hope you'd finally come to your senses.   
Which, I'm glad to say, you finally did."  
  
"Yeah, I understand," said Phoebe. "I guess I was pretty  
pigheaded back them."  
  
"What do you mean 'back then'?" asked Piper, grinning  
slightly.  
  
"Very funny," said Phoebe. "But I guess I can understand.   
Sorry I put you guys through so much. If I could go back and  
change things . . .."  
  
"Water under the bridge," said Piper. "You're here now when  
Prue needs you. Even if she doesn't know it. Some day, she'll  
thank us for just being here for her. You'll see. I know how hard  
it is right now, but it will get easier. Trust me."  
  
"I just hope it's soon," said Phoebe.  
  
Piper just smiled and began to fix dinner. It wasn't easy for  
her, either. She remembered her mother and grams. Grams's  
death had affected them all deeply. Prue had helped hold them  
all together through her death. Now, Piper couldn't even help  
Prue. She felt the frustration that Phoebe felt. And she had no  
idea what to do about it.  
  
Piper and Phoebe were already in bed when Prue came home  
that night. Both wanted to run right downstairs and offer her  
whatever consoling they could. But they both knew that their  
words would fall on death ears if she wasn't ready to hear it.  
  
They listened as she went to the attic and spent some time  
there. Many of their grandmother's things were still in the attic.   
She was probably up there looking through them, trying to  
console herself with memories of grams.  
  
Then she went down to the kitchen. Piper had left something  
for her in the oven, with a note how to heat it up. They could hear  
her in there. They both fell asleep listening to Prue rattle around  
in the kitchen.  
  
When Piper and Phoebe came downstairs the next morning,  
the house was strangely quiet. Prue must still be in bed. They  
had no idea how late she had stayed up, but the rest would do  
her good. When they walked into the kitchen to get some  
breakfast, they were horrified at what they saw.  
  
The kitchen was a disaster area. Dirty dishes filled the table  
and counter tops. The stove had unidentifiable stains all over it.   
The large caldron they used to prepare their potions was still  
simmering with a strange greenish liquid in it. Prue sat at the  
table looking at a small bottle holding the same greenish liquid  
that was in the cauldron.  
  
"What in the hell is going on here?" demanded Piper. "It's  
going to take me all day to clean this up."  
  
"I'll clean it up," said Prue. "Before I leave. I promise."  
  
"What do you mean 'before you leave'?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"I went to see Andy yesterday," said Prue. "We had a long  
chat."  
  
"You saw Andy?" asked Piper, the kitchen now totally  
forgotten.  
  
"No," said Prue, smiling. "Not like that. I sat at his grave and  
talked to him. I apologized for getting him killed. And I made him  
a promise. I promised him that no more innocents would die  
because of the Charmed Ones."  
  
"What does that have to do with your leaving, honey?" asked  
Piper.  
  
"I'm leaving the manor," said Prue. "I can't go through  
anything like this again. Andy died because of us. We're  
supposed to protect the innocent, not cause their deaths. It's just  
too much. So I'm moving out."  
  
"That won't change anything," said Piper. "If you move out we  
won't be together to help each other. We all decided to live in the  
manor so we'd be together when the demons attacked.   
Together, we're stronger than we are apart."  
  
"Yes, it will change things," said Prue, picking up the bottle in  
front of her. "Once I drink this, we won't have to worry about  
demons or warlocks or any of the other evil that come after us.   
They won't have any reason to come after us."  
  
"What is that?" asked Piper, getting a bad feeling in the pit of  
her stomach.  
  
"I know you're the one makes the potions," said Prue, "but I  
checked the Book of Shadows and got the recipe for this.   
Cooking was never my strong suit, but I'm pretty sure this will  
work. It will solve all of our problems."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Phoebe. "Just what  
exactly does that potion do?"  
  
"It's a power stripping potion," said Prue. "Once I drink it, my  
powers will be gone forever."  
  
"Prue, that's insane," said Piper, snatching the bottle out of  
Prue's hand. "If you do that, Phoebe and I will loose our powers,  
too. You'll leave us defenseless against the demons that come  
after us."  
  
"No, it won't," said Prue. "Don't you see. Without our powers,  
we're not a threat to them. They will have no reason to come  
after us. It's the perfect solution. No more Charmed Ones equals  
no more demons. No more warlocks. No more evil coming at us  
from every direction. And no more innocents dying because they  
got in the way."  
  
"It won't work that way," said Leo, orbing in suddenly. "I got  
here as soon as I realized what was going on. It's not just that  
you have power that they fear. Even if you don't have your  
powers, they'll still come after you. To avenge those you've  
vanquished before. And anyone who can destroy the Charmed  
Ones, even Charmed Ones without their powers, will gain a lot of  
power and prestige in the underworld."  
  
"That's because we're a threat to them," returned Prue.   
"Without our powers, we're no threat."  
  
"You're being foolish," said Leo. "Innocents everywhere  
depend on you, even if they don't know it. You're responsible for  
. . .."  
  
". . . for getting them killed," finished Prue. "We were  
responsible for Andy, too. And now he's dead. Because of us. If  
even one innocent dies because of us, it's too many. This is the  
only way to really protect them."  
  
"And who's going to protect them when you don't have your  
powers?" asked Leo. "It took generations to prepare the  
Halliwells for the powers you three have. Without you, evil will  
spread. More innocents will die that you could save. If you do  
this, you're abandoning your responsibility."  
  
"At least we won't be responsible for any more deaths," said  
Prue. "It has to be this way, Leo. I can't be responsible for  
anymore innocent people dying because of what we are."  
  
"You're talking crazy, Prue," said Leo. "Your power is the only  
thing that stands between the demons and . . .."  
  
"No," said Piper, cutting Leo off in mid sentence. "Prue is  
right."  
  
"What?" asked Leo. "You're agreeing with her?"  
  
"Yes," said Piper. "Andy DID die because we're the Charmed  
Ones. If we weren't, the warlock that killed him wouldn't have  
even known we existed. He would have gone on with the normal  
type of police business he was used to before he met us."  
  
"I'm glad you finally see things my way," said Prue.  
  
"You're as crazy as she is," said Leo.  
  
"Maybe," said Piper. She put the bottle with the power  
stripping potion back on the table. "Prue has to make her own  
decisions about this. We can't force her to be a Charmed One,  
any more than we can force her to do anything else. We don't  
have that right. If she thinks this is the best course of action, I  
don't have to like it. But I have to respect her opinions and beliefs  
and support her in it."  
  
"Piper's right," said Phoebe. She picked up the bottle and  
handed it to Prue. "Prue, if you really want to do this, I  
understand. But before you do, I want you to listen to me for just  
a minute.  
  
"When I left here, I was an angry, spoiled, unappreciative little  
bitch. Even after I came back, I didn't appreciate what you and  
Piper and grams had. I guess I was jealous of that. You three  
were always closer than I was with you. You knew mom better  
than any of us. I never got to know her; not really. And she was  
gone before I had the chance to know her.  
  
"Since I've come back, I've learned how selfish I was. How I  
never thought of anyone but myself. I always thought you were  
butting into my life where you didn't have any business. But I do  
know one thing. Everything you did, you did out of love. For me,  
for Piper, for everyone. Even when we fight, I know it's because  
you love us and want to protect us and take care of us.  
  
"I can't say I agree with what you're doing. God knows, you  
and I rarely see eye to eye on anything. I know you're hurting. I  
know what Andy meant to you. And I also know that, sometime,  
you'll get through it. But it's your life. You have the right to lead it  
as you see fit."  
  
"Prue, honey," said Piper, putting her arm around her older  
sister, "you've always been the levelheaded one of us. You  
usually think things through very carefully before you make a  
decision. And, like Phoebe said, I don't always agree with your  
decisions.  
  
"But Phoebe is right about one thing. Everything you do, you  
do out of love. You held us together after mom died. And after  
grams died. If it wasn't for you, the three of us would probably  
have gone our separate ways. And who knows where we'd be  
right now.  
  
"I think this decision is a mistake. That being said, I won't  
stand in your way if you truly want to do it. You have a right to  
your own life. Even if you leave the manor, you will always be my  
sister. I will always love you. And if you ever need anything;  
anything at all; I'll be there for you."  
  
Prue looked at the bottle in her hand, then at her two sisters.   
A tear trickled from her eye. Leo stood in the back, thinking that  
they had all broken under the stress of constant demon attacks.   
He watched helplessly as Prue pulled the stopper our of the top  
of the bottle. Prue looked at Piper and Phoebe one last time and  
emptied the contents of the bottle.  
  
But she hadn't drunk it. She watched as her chance at a  
"normal" life disappeared down the drain of the kitchen sink. She  
dropped the bottle into the sink then turned back to her sisters.   
Both moved to her immediately and the three hugged close, tears  
flowing freely.  
  
"I can't do that to you," said Prue through the tears. "That  
would have affected all of us, not just me. I don't have the right to  
take your powers from you like that. Can you ever forgive me for  
even thinking it?"  
  
"Nothing to forgive," said Piper, hugging Prue. "We know  
you're hurting. We've been here for you. We just couldn't figure  
a way to tell you that we're hurting, too. That no matter what,  
we'll do whatever we can to help you get through this."  
  
"Thanks," said Prue, wiping the tears away. "Well, I guess I'd  
better get started. I have a lot of cleaning to do here."  
  
"No," said Phoebe, putting her arm around her oldest sister.   
"WE have a lot of cleaning to do."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Leo, totally confused. "I don't get it.   
First, you do everything you can to stop her from doing this, and  
all it did was push her closer to doing it. Then you tell her it's  
okay and even give her the potion and she suddenly changes her  
mind. Can someone explain to me what's going on, please?"  
  
"Leo," said Piper, putting her hand on his shoulder, "I'm afraid  
this is something you could never understand."  
  
"Why?" asked Leo. "Because I'm a White Lighter and not  
human?"  
  
"No," said Phoebe, "because you aren't a sister. That's why."  
  
Leo was as confused as ever. None of the sisters offered any  
explanation for their cryptic response. All he could do is stand  
and watch them as they began to clean up the mess in the  
kitchen.  
  
The End  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories  
at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/. You can also  
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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